Asheville Reformed Baptist Fellowship

Last Post, New website

2008-05-31T21:05:00.005-04:00

This is one of the last posts to the old blog and it is fitting that it is one of my last posts to the blog as it is the last occasion that I will be preaching at ARBF.

The new ARBF website can be

FOUND HERE

http://www.ashevillereformedbaptist.org/

This Lord's day at 5:30 PM I will be preaching my final sermon at ARBF (at least for the foreseeable future) on 1 John 3:1-3 "The Glorious Love of God"

By God's grace I have graduated with my M.Div. from GPTS and have been called and now ordained to the Gospel ministry and my family and I prepare to go to our home church, Covenant Baptist Church in Toronto in just over a week to formally take up the pastorate in July. Please pray for Val, the children and me as we make the complicated international move and most especially as we seek to proclaim the exclusive truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of one of the most pluralistic cities in the world.

This Sunday - Nathan Renfro preaching May 24th 5:30 PM

2008-05-21T22:41:00.000-04:00

This Sunday evening we welcome Brother Nathan Renfro to the pulpit. He will be preaching on Matthew 18:21-35 "The Promises of Forgiveness."

Nathan and his wife Erin are long time members of ARBF and he is the father of two delightful children, Sophie and (the newborn) Luke. Nathan is a student at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and a former IMB missionary/church planter to Greece.

We prayerfully anticipate his ministry to us this Sunday evening.

Official Church Plant Status

2008-05-21T22:36:00.000-04:00

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am pleased to announce that at a vote taken tonight, Grace Baptist Church, Taylors (GBCT) officially adopted the Asheville Reformed Baptist Fellowship as their church plant. Up till this point, officially, ARBF was a ministry of GBCT. This is a further step and commitment on the part of GBCT that lays foundations for ARBF's future. May God use us for His glory in the Asheville area.

May 11th and an advance notice for May 18th

2008-05-08T11:27:00.000-04:00

This Lord's Day evening, our brother Dennis Zimmerman will be preaching to us. Dennis is a member of our planting church, Grace Baptist in Taylors. Please pray for our brother as he prepares to minister among us.

This is an advance notice for May 18th, to identify that we will *not* be holding services in Asheville. All ARBF friends are invited for this one day only to join in a special ordination service (starting at 9:45 AM) at Grace Baptist Church in Taylors, SC for Chris Powell as he prepares to go off to the home mission field in Canada.

May 4th, 2008

2008-04-28T15:04:00.000-04:00

The preacher this Lord's Day evening will be Mark Hatfield, a member of Grace Baptist Church Taylors and a seminarian. Please pray for brother Hatfield that the Lord would bless his preparation and delivery of the Word of God.

Following the evening worship service, we will have our regular snack supper. All are welcome!

Worship Sunday

2008-04-15T14:12:00.000-04:00

This Sunday our regular evening worship will continue. Chris Powell will be preaching and returning to his regular expository series in 1 John. After the worship service we will enjoy our regular snack supper fellowship. Come, worship the Creator of the Universe with us with joy.

Regular Sunday evening worship at 5:30 PM

2008-04-05T08:45:00.001-04:00

There is something delightful in saying "regular Sunday worship." It is a wonder that we sometimes take for granted. Two short years ago it was just a prayer. Now it is a reality. What a great Jehovah Jireh God we serve!

This Sunday evening the preacher will be Pastor Bob Selph, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Taylors SC and Coordinator of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in America.

Following the meeting we will have our regular (there's that word again!) snack supper and after that we will be presenting a budget proposal.

May we all prepare our hearts and minds for the delight of worship tomorrow.

We are in the process of launching our new website. It is not done yet and not quite ready to go live. But if you'd like a peek look here, and provide your feedback to brother Seth who is graciously engaged in doing this.

In Him,
Chris.

Worship Sunday Evening March 30th 5:30 PM

2008-03-24T08:06:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

This Sunday Pastor Bob Selph will be preaching at 5:30 PM. After our evening meal we will be having our regular snack supper. Pastor Selph will be preaching both this coming week and his regular first Sunday in April. See you there!

Sunday Evening Worship 5:30 PM

2008-03-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

This Sunday Chris Powell will be preaching on the good news of the promise of Jesus Christ in Genesis 1-3. Please come for worship and stay to fellowship with us at our snack supper after worship.

Worship Service this Sunday at 5:30 PM

2008-03-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

Welcome all (and especially Asheville Citizen Times readers!),

ARBF is having its evening worship service this Friday at 5:30 PM at the Fairfield Inn Hotel. Nursery care will be provided. Elder Seth Spearman from Grace Baptist Church in Taylors, SC, will be preaching and continuing in his series on the Prophets of the Old Testament. Next Easter Sunday, Chris Powell will be our preacher.

This Sunday Worship 5:30 PM

2008-03-06T11:27:00.005-05:00

Hi Folks,

Lord willing, I will be preaching this Sunday evening, continuing our expository series in the Epistle of 1 John Chapter 2 verses 1-2.

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may
not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for
ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

The focus will be on our Lord and Savior's amazing work on the cross to propitiate (literally: turn away the wrath of God) for our sins and the extent of that atoning work.

Following the service we will be having our now regular fellowship meal (the "almost-famous" Wilson Chili) to which all are invited.

Next Sunday's preacher will be Elder Seth Spearman from Grace Baptist Church in Taylors, SC.

This Lord's Day

2008-03-01T00:54:00.000-05:00

The preacher will be Pastor Bob Selph, senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church, Taylors and the co-ordinator of the Association of Reformed Baptist Churches in America.

As always, we look forward to his ministry with us.

The preachers for the rest of the month are:
March 9: Chris Powell
March 16: Seth Spearman
March 23: Chris Powell
March 30: Mark Hatfield

This Sunday evening

2008-02-20T17:31:00.000-05:00

This Sunday our brother and Elder from GBC Taylors, Seth Spearman, will be preaching in his series on the Minor Prophets from the book of Amos.

I, sadly, will miss his preaching and our time of fellowship and food as I will be up in Canada, candidating. I would appreciate your prayers.

In His grace,
Chris.

Preaching Schedule for March and April

2008-02-12T18:59:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

For details about this week see the post below this one. This is the list of preachers for the next two months.

In His service,
Chris.

March 2nd – Pastor Bob Selph
March 9th – Chris Powell
March 16th – Seth Spearman
March 23rd – Chris Powell
March 30th – Mark Hatfield

April 6th – Pastor Bob Selph
April 13th – Chris Powell
April 20th – Seth Spearman
April 27th – Chris Powell

This Sunday

2008-02-12T15:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

It was great to open the Word last week to examine the truth Of God who is the Light of the World. This coming Sunday we will consider one of the clearest statements of the Christian Gospel in the Bible: 1 Jn 1:9 (in the context of verses 8-10).

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in
us."

February 10, 2007

2008-02-04T23:35:00.000-05:00

Hi All,

The preacher this week will be me, Chris Powell, continuing my expository series in 1 John looking at 1 Jn 1:5-7 (ESV)

"This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. "

One of the things I mentioned in my introductory sermon was that the thematic structure of 1 John is like a spiral, much like the way that the Guggenheim museum is laid out in New York. Here is a picture of the museum's internal structure. The displays are laid out so that you can see them again and again from different angles as you spiral down the ramp to the bottom of the museum. There are three main themes that the Apostle John brings forward in three tests. In v.1-4 it is the doctrinal test "Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?". Verses 5-7 introduce a second test. What do you think it is?

Pastor Selph Preaching this Sunday

2008-01-31T09:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

This Sunday evening our preacher will be Pastor Bob Selph (pictured below with his beloved wife Cathi), of our planting church, Grace Baptist Church, Taylors, SC. Until our next General Assembly, Pastor Bob is also currently the Co-ordinator of the Association of Reformed Baptish Churches in America (ARBCA). Hope to see you all Sunday!

Worship Service January 27th

2008-01-20T22:38:00.000-05:00

It was a joy to worship together tonight and meet some new friends. This coming Sunday, Chris Powell will be preaching, beginning a new expository series through the epistle of 1st John.

Here are the first few verses of 1 John 1:1-4 (ESV):
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Sunday January 20th - Worship Service

2008-01-14T08:50:00.000-05:00

It was a joy to meet for worship last night as we considered the wonderful sufficiency of God's Word as presented in 2 Timothy 3:14-17. Next week our preacher will be Elder Seth Spearman from Grace Baptist Church in Taylors.

We would also like to announce that we will be adding a corporate prayer meeting at 5PM on Sunday evenings. We will actually reverse our worship and nursery rooms. The prayer meeting will be in the nursery room and the nursery will be staffed by a combination nursery volunteer and greeter!

See you there!

The Millers

2008-01-14T08:41:00.000-05:00

Thought you all might enjoy seeing a photo of the Millers as they came to visit us over New Years. As you can see, baby Catherine is growing up!

New Regular Sunday Worship Services

2008-01-06T23:47:00.000-05:00

We are pleased to announce that, effective immediately, the Asheville Reformed Baptist Fellowship will be having regular Sunday evening meetings every week.

This coming Sunday evening the 13th, at 5:30 PM, Chris Powell will be preaching and leading the service.

We look forward to seeing you all there. Please pray with us for the continued establishment of our work in the Asheville area.

Worship Service this Sunday Evening

2008-01-02T16:54:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

Just a reminder, ARBF has a worship service this Sunday evening at 5:30 at the Fairfield Inn.

Meetings this month

2007-12-08T09:25:00.000-05:00

Greetings all!

Other than our regular Wednesday evenings for December (which you can contact the Hostetlers - or email us using the link on the right), we will not be holding the Friday Bible Study this month.

We had a delightful time of worship on December 2nd and we expect to hold our regular worship service again on the 16th at 5:30 PM at the Fairfield Inn.

Sunday Evening Worship - Fairfield Inn, Dec. 2 @ 5:30 PM

2007-11-25T15:43:00.000-05:00

Hi Folks,

Just a reminder of our bi-monthly worship service at the Fairfield Inn (see the link to directions in the right sidebar) in Fletcher this coming Lord's Day, December 2nd, at 5:30 PM.

Please pray for Patrick as he prepares to preach the Gospel.

For His glory

Meetings, meetings, meetings this week

2007-11-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

Just a reminder of the meetings this week:

Wednesday - Prayer and Planning - 6:30 PM @ the Hostetler's
***Friday - Meeting with Pastor Bob Selph to discuss the prospect of planting a church in Asheville next year*** 6:30 PM @ the Hostetler's (not Thursday as previously advertised). Need Directions? Call Greg @ 828-891-3928
Sunday Evening 5:30 PM - Worship Service @ The Fairfield Inn

See you then!